Childminders in Wales were today banned from smacking youngsters in their care under new regulations approved by the Welsh Assembly.

The Childminding and Day Care (Wales) Regulations outlaw the smacking and shaking of children in day centres or other similar settings.

AMs voted during today's plenary session to prevent childminders using any form of physical restraint on youngsters under the age of eight unless it is to prevent personal injury or serious damage to property.

Health minister Jane Hutt said: "I want to emphasise that child protection will be at the centre of these standards, and that smacking will not be allowed at any registered childminder or other day care setting.

"All our attention should be devoted to ensuring that children's experiences in daycare are safe, enriching and rewarding."

She added: "The regulations will govern the conduct of childminding and day care provided for children under 8.

"They will apply to childminders and services such as day nurseries, playgroups and out of school care."

The regulations, which set out national minimum standards for childminders, will come into force in April this year.

Shadow education minister Helen Mary Jones said the Government should go further and ban parents from smacking their children.

She said today's move meant parents could not instruct childminders to "hit" their children, but could still smack them themselves.

Labour AM Christine Chapman (Cynon Valley) said smacking did not work and taught children violence was acceptable.

Ms Chapman, who recently led a debate urging the Assembly to press for a ban on smacking children, said Britain was "out of step" with the 11 countries that had banned smacking. She said it breached children's human rights.

The move received unanimous support from AMs.

The National Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Children described the regulations as a "sensible" move and called for England to adopt the changes as well.

NSPCC director Mary Marsh said: "Childminders look after babies and young children who can be harmed easily.

"They should never hit or shake a child in their care, and this should be spelled out in regulation and law.

"The new regulations in Wales are a sensible child protection move, bringing childminders into line with other professionals looking after children.

"Ministers should now follow suit in England and remove the current loophole which allows some childminders to hit children with parental permission."